Celtic flop forced to play transfer waiting game as club chief admits they're 'in constant contact' over permanent deal
The defender is wanted by the Brazilian side and are hopeful of striking a deal with Celtic
Internacional have confirmed ‘negotiations are in full swing’ with Celtic over turning Alexandro Bernabei’s loan move into a permanent one - but the deal is ‘not easy’ to conclude.
The Argentine left-back, who has been told he has no future in Glasgow, was named in the Brazilian Serie A team of the year after an impressive campaign since returning to South America on a temporary basis last March.
However, his current club have just ten days remaining to finalise a deal for Bernabei, with the Scottish champions reportedly looking for around £7 million for the 24-year-old - a figure the Porto Alegre-based outfit can’t afford.
Their hopes of striking a permanent deal have been made even harder amid rumoured interest from Sao Paulo giants Palmeiras, who finished runners-up in the Serie A title race.
Despite that, Internacional president Alessandro Barcellos remains hopeful his club can move quickly in an attempt to persuade Brendan Rodgers’ side to thrash out a deal that would suit both parties before their league rivals launch their own bid.
He said: “The deal hasn't progressed yet, but we are constantly making contact with Celtic. We have to respect the other club’s time and all of this is part of it.
“It’s not an easy negotiation when you factor in the valuation, the player’s package and the interests of the Scottish club. Negotiations are in full swing and we are working towards that.
“Our manager Roger Machado’s collective work has brought a lot of appreciation to the team.”